After the Firestorm: Lebanon's Path to Recovery

After 60 days of intense conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, a ceasefire has been reached. Lebanese citizens are assessing extensive damage in cities, especially in Beirut and southern regions. The attacks, which began due to support for Hamas, displaced over a million Lebanese and thousands of Israelis.

Lebanon has endured over 60 days of relentless Israeli airstrikes, leaving devastation in cities like Beirut and Tyre. This week, a ceasefire was finally reached between Israel and Hezbollah, sparking a wave of Lebanese residents returning to appraise the significant damage inflicted on their homes and neighborhoods.

The southern suburbs of Beirut, notably the area known as Dahiyeh, have been reduced to ruins, with high-rises turned to rubble. Associated Press video captured the chilling moment a missile struck an apartment, releasing a fiery blaze. Similar destruction was witnessed across southern cities such as Tyre, where thick smokescreens now cloak the skyline.

The conflict was fueled in part by Hezbollah's rocket launches into Israel, expressing solidarity with Hamas following its October 7, 2023, attack. Israel's bombardments targeted southern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs, major Hezbollah strongholds, but reached central Beirut too. The fighting displaced over 1.2 million Lebanese, alongside thousands of Israelis.

(With inputs from agencies.)